◎You’re the Real Fiancé, So What Am I?◎
Cheng Lang took a sesame flatbread from the plate in Feng Man’s hands and bit into it heartily. The crispy flatbread and the aroma of fresh meat instantly made his sword-like eyebrows arch slightly. He turned sideways to size up Feng Man before quickly looking away.
“What do you think? Is it good?” Feng Man eagerly awaited more honest feedback.
Cheng Lang’s throat tightened. With a serious face, he said gravely, “It’s decent.”
Feng Man thought to herself, It seems Comrade Cheng Lang has high standards.
Once the sesame flatbreads came out of the oven at home, they quickly lured back Fan You Shan, who had been playing next door. The little chubby boy burst into the room and, upon seeing the tall figure, charged over and crashed into him. “Uncle!”
His two chubby hands, like lotus root segments, hugged Cheng Lang’s legs and refused to let go. “Uncle, you’re finally back! Why did it take you so long to come see me!”
Cheng Lang scooped up his nephew with one hand and weighed him. He laughed, “You’ve gotten heavier. You haven’t been skimping on food, have you?”
“Mm, Auntie made the sesame flatbreads super tasty.” Fan You Shan had been feasting well these past few days.
“Auntie?” Cheng Lang quickly glanced at Feng Man, just in time to catch the panic in her eyes.
“Yeah!” Fan You Shan puffed out his chest proudly. His little eyes swept over his uncle Cheng Lang and Feng Man, who had come out of the room upon hearing the commotion. “Uncle, I’ve already set you up with Auntie Feng Man! She’s my auntie now.”
Cheng Lang: “…”
Feng Man: “…”
Three days earlier, Fan You Shan had eaten Feng Man’s sesame flatbreads and unilaterally started calling her “auntie.” He had taken it upon himself to betroth his uncle to her and even declared that buying snacks from anyone else wouldn’t cut it anymore.
Feng Man tugged at the corner of her mouth and smiled. “Kids say the darndest things.”
The lively dinner was finally ready. Dong Xiaojuan took charge in the kitchen and prepared four dishes and a soup—quite a feast.
At the dinner table, as Dong Xiaojuan picked food for her son, she casually asked her husband, “Whose call was that just now?”
Fan Zhenghua’s face stiffened. He reflexively glanced at his cousin beside him and Feng Man across the table. His old mother’s words from just minutes ago still rang in his ears. “It was nothing. Mom called to check in. She said she misses Xiaoshan.”
“Then let’s go back to see Mom tomorrow, or bring her over for some fun.” Dong Xiaojuan knew her mother-in-law had a stern face but a warm heart.
“Mm.” Fan Zhenghua didn’t repeat his old mother’s words to the others, especially since she had bluntly called out A-Lang in the phone call, insisting he had definitely been tricked. She was certain he had never had any baby betrothal. If he blurted that out now, it would hurt too many feelings.
Fan Zhenghua looked left and right but couldn’t see Feng Man as a deceiver. Besides, he knew his own cousin well. With Cheng Lang’s personality and abilities, how could he possibly be fooled!
After dinner, with nightfall approaching, Cheng Lang prepared to head back to his dorm. Dong Xiaojuan beamed and insisted that Feng Man see her cousin downstairs, hinting that the two young people should spend more time together to build their relationship.
“No need.” Cheng Lang quickened his pace to leave, his mind a jumbled mess.
Feng Man thought that if she weren’t here tonight, Cheng Lang would probably have stayed over. She felt guilty for making him return to the dorm late, so she immediately packed three sesame flatbreads in an oiled paper bag for him and hurried him out. She called after him in the stairwell.
“Comrade Cheng Lang, take these sesame flatbreads back with you. Heat them up in the cafeteria if you get hungry.” Feng Man handed over the oiled paper package.
Cheng Lang stood on the lower step, the height difference from the stairs reversing their positions. He had to tilt his head up slightly. His gaze swept over her slender fingers holding the package, the white, plump nails bearing half-moon shapes.
He abruptly took the package. His rough fingertip accidentally brushed against her soft skin. Cheng Lang’s expression changed, and he turned to leave. “Mm, you go back.”
Feng Man watched the man’s indifferent departing back without overthinking it. He was probably just in a hurry to leave.
The unfamiliar warmth and touch lingered on his fingertip. Cheng Lang rubbed it hard and hurried down the stairs.
The sesame flatbreads tasted great, and Dong Xiaojuan’s inquiries about renting a stall for Feng Man had borne fruit. The next morning, the two headed to the Mine District Office to pick a spot.
On the way, Feng Man thought of how her sesame flatbreads had received rave reviews from Dong Xiaojuan’s whole family—except for Cheng Lang, who had given a lukewarm assessment. She mentioned it offhand.
But Dong Xiaojuan winked and said, “Oh, you don’t know A-Lang yet. He’s the type to hold back. Saying ‘decent’ means he likes it!”
Feng Man wondered if the man could really be that childish, but Dong Xiaojuan continued, “You know my cooking isn’t great, right? I know it in my heart. Every time A-Lang visits, he goes along with Old Fan and Xiaoshan saying my dishes are delicious. That’s him being polite to his cousin’s wife. But with you, deliberately saying ‘decent’ is different!”
Feng Man: QAQ
By the time they finished talking, they had reached the door of the Mine District’s unified office. Stalls in the area were rented out uniformly and quite formally—outsiders really couldn’t get a piece of the action.
Dong Xiaojuan arrived early and chatted with Sister Zhou, who handled stall rentals. She quickly introduced Feng Man. “Sister Zhou, this is my relative Feng Man. She’s here to rent a stall.”
—“What are you selling?” A flash of admiration crossed Sister Zhou’s eyes.
—“Some homemade food.” Feng Man replied.
—“Let me check if there’s space in the food section. A miner’s family member applied for a noodle stall the other day and got assigned a spot.”
Sister Zhou checked the registry and indeed found an opening. She immediately led them over. “Come with me to see the spot. If it works, we can lock it in.”
Feng Man was renting under the identity of Fan Zhenghua’s relative. The Mine District staffer led the two out to the centralized ready-to-eat stall area, where they ran right into trouble.
Food stalls naturally clustered together, forming an informal dining zone, while soda and snack vendors dotted the sides without encroaching.
Feng Man had observed the area before. It had breakfast sellers who switched to noodle stalls at lunch and dinner. There were several noodle stalls with the fiercest competition, plus various other foods—seven or eight kinds in all, over a dozen stalls. Workers looking for a quick bite headed straight there.
But right now, a dispute had broken out.
Once these cliques formed, it was hard for outsiders to break in. The miner’s family member who had applied for a noodle stall the day before came to set up today but was blocked. The spot in the middle, recently vacated by a renter, had been piled with junk by the neighboring vendors, who refused to clear it.
Sister Liu, who ran the noodle stall, had upward-slanting triangular eyes. She smiled insincerely and suggested, “There are plenty of empty spots over there. Why squeeze into our area?”
Brother Wang, from the neighboring rice noodle stall, chimed in, “Exactly, we’re packed here. No need for more people.”
Two or three vendors openly or implicitly opposed adding newcomers. The other five or six stall owners stayed silent but didn’t object, clearly banding together. Even the management didn’t dare intervene.
After all, family members could be tough, especially when united. You didn’t want to provoke them.
The young woman who had just applied for the stall was not old and had thin skin. Her face flushed red as she tried to argue but couldn’t outtalk them. Sister Zhou played peacemaker, and in the end, the new stall owner moved to another spot in a nearby corner.
“Little Juan, where does your relative want?” Sister Zhou figured a newcomer probably couldn’t handle this bunch either, but Dong Xiaojuan was different.
“We’ll take…” Dong Xiaojuan had been vending here for years and had seniority. She wouldn’t be bullied like a newbie and was about to pick a prime spot for Feng Man when Feng Man quietly interrupted.
“Sister Zhou, we’ll discuss it and get back to you. Thanks for coming over.” Once the others left with a wave, Feng Man whispered to Dong Xiaojuan, “Sister Xiaojuan, your business hasn’t been great lately. How about renting half your stall to me?”
“You’re not taking a spot in the ready-to-eat zone anymore?” Worried Feng Man had been scared off, Dong Xiaojuan was ready to back her up. “Don’t worry, with me here, they won’t dare block anyone.”
Feng Man wasn’t fazed at all. She just shook her head. “Forcing my way in now would just invite sabotage. Better to test the waters on the periphery first.”
Feng Man had thought it through. Joining by force would make her a target for the clique. No need to stir up trouble.
Dong Xiaojuan’s recent slump made subletting half her stall a win for her. The spot sat empty anyway, and the ten-yuan monthly rent had to be paid regardless. Sharing the cost was fine.
She just worried, “You know my spot—it’s surrounded by stalls selling all sorts of junk. If you’re selling food, people might not even come by.”
Miners all knew where the hot ready-to-eat food was and beelined there. That was the benefit of clustering. A lone stall in the corner? Who would notice or make a special trip?
A bad location meant bad business.
But Feng Man wasn’t concerned. She smiled faintly, showing some confidence. “Good stuff doesn’t fear that.”
After agreeing, they decided Dong Xiaojuan would sublet half her spot to Feng Man. They headed back to the office to make it official.
Sister Zhou had been worried about Dong Xiaojuan’s relative getting squeezed out by the clique—Dong Xiaojuan surely wouldn’t swallow that. But they changed their minds quickly, so she readily agreed. “You two sharing a stall is great, just great.”
As long as there was no drama, anything worked!
Sister Zhou sighed inwardly. Managing all these miners’ families was no easy task!
Not long after seeing off Dong Xiaojuan and Feng Man, a tall figure approached. It was none other than the Mine District’s most renowned mining engineer, Cheng Lang.
“Master Cheng, what brings you here today?” Sister Zhou’s niece had her eye on Cheng Lang. She had sent gifts and asked Sister Zhou to play matchmaker. Seeing the man himself, she was naturally warm and attentive.
Cheng Lang’s skills were legendary across the district. His future was boundless. If he became her niece’s husband, it would be perfect.
But the next second, Cheng Lang handed over a sheet of paper and said flatly, “My resignation letter.”
Sister Zhou was stunned. Master Cheng was resigning?!
Before she could ask more, he strode away.
Cheng Lang was set on it. His team leader had rejected his resignation, so he submitted it directly to the office and let them handle it upward.
After turning in the letter, Cheng Lang prepared to head back to work. Until it was official, he wouldn’t slack off. But at the gate, the old gatekeeper called him. “Cheng Lang, perfect timing. Saves me the trouble. Phone call for you.”
The Mine District gatehouse had a landline for urgent calls. The gatekeeper would notify people.
Cheng Lang wasn’t sure who would call the Mine District. He figured it was business, but the voice on the line was strangely familiar.
It was his neighbor Jiang Ping from Nine Mountains Village, whom he had seen half a month ago.
“Brother Lang, I got your number from the village chief.” Jiang Ping felt awkward but had to speak up for his livelihood.
Last time Cheng Lang returned to handle family matters, Jiang Ping had wanted to ask about heading south for work opportunities, but Cheng Lang left too quickly.
This time, he had overheard the village chief mention that morning that Cheng Lang had called back. That’s how he got the number.
“Brother Lang, our factory’s doing worse and worse. Wages aren’t even coming out now. Some say it’s going bankrupt… I don’t know if it’s true, but you know the saying: A tree may die when moved, but a person thrives with change. I want to see if there’s a chance heading south.”
Plenty from Nine Mountains Village had gone south for work, but Jiang Ping trusted and admired Cheng Lang most. His first thought was to follow Brother Lang.
Cheng Lang had always been the leader among the kids. Everyone followed him. Jiang Ping later realized it was innate leadership.
He blurted out his thoughts in one go, but the line went silent.
Jiang Ping’s heart leaped to his throat. Hearing the static crackle, he cautiously prompted, “Brother Lang, you there?”
At the gatehouse, the receiver was gripped tightly in a broad hand. Veins faintly showed on the distinct knuckles. The man’s face was stern as he listened to neighbor Jiang Ping, but his thoughts drifted far away.
Feng Man’s real fiancé wasn’t hard to guess.
Her baby betrothal from childhood was to the neighbor boy. But with her mother dying young and family upheaval, no one mentioned it. Years later, her memories blurred, and she mistook herself for the fiancé.
After a moment, Cheng Lang spoke gravely, ignoring Jiang Ping’s topic. “Heading south means being far from home. Hard to find a wife. Your family okay with that?”
Hearing Cheng Lang’s voice at last, Jiang Ping relaxed and hurriedly explained, “No, no rush.”
Perhaps to ease Brother Lang’s worries a bit, Jiang Ping simply revealed his own little secret. “Brother Lang, to be honest with you, I actually had a baby betrothal set up when I was a kid, but no one had mentioned it for many years. I was thinking that since that family never brought it up, it wouldn’t be right for me to mention it either—maybe they had just let it go. I never expected that girl to get married directly, and later she even fled her wedding. Everyone in the village said she ran off with some wild man, but I didn’t believe it. She was clearly so timid; she definitely didn’t want to get married. If only I’d known earlier… If only I’d mustered the courage to go to their door and propose marriage… I don’t even know where she’s run off to now, or if she’s doing okay. If I saw her again, I…”
“Who is that person?” Cheng Lang’s voice grew a bit hoarse, as if he were waiting for an answer that required no question.
“You know her too.” Growing excited, Jiang Ping slightly raised his voice. “It’s the eldest daughter of the Feng Family between our two houses—Feng Zhaodi.”
The clear voice struck his ear, and Cheng Lang’s gaze darkened slightly. He recalled that day on the truck, when Feng Man had mentioned that her father changed her name at three years old—to Feng Zhaodi.
“If you saw her again…” Cheng Lang lowered his eyes slightly, his sharp jawline growing even more pronounced, carrying a hint of ruthlessness. “What would you do?”
“If I could see her, I’d definitely ask if she still acknowledged that baby betrothal. If she was willing, I’d be willing too.” Jiang Ping hid his faint intentions in those veiled words.
Cheng Lang listened silently, fully aware that with just one word from him, he could help this pair of lovers become husband and wife.
One who fled her marriage without hesitation and was willing to follow him a thousand miles away, and one who still thought of her fondly and wanted to fulfill the baby betrothal.
Heh.
They certainly had mutual affection.
“Brother Lang, about me heading south?” The topic had strayed far, and with his secret little thoughts making him truly shy, Jiang Ping hurriedly changed the subject. “Can I come throw in my lot with you? I want to follow you.”
Cheng Lang’s thin lips parted slightly, his words traveling a thousand miles through the receiver. His dark brows gradually lowered, his expression inscrutable.
After a burst of static crackling, Jiang Ping finally heard Cheng Lang’s reply, and his eyes suddenly widened.